Irradiation method and system
AssigneesAustralian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, University of Wollongong
InventorsMitra Safavi-Naeini, Andrew Stephen Chacon
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Abstract
An irradiation method and system for irradiating a target volume, the method comprising: providing thermal neutron absorbing nuclides (such as in the form of a high neutron cross-section agent) at the target volume; and producing neutrons by irradiating nuclei in or adjacent to the target volume with a beam of particles consisting of any one or more of protons, deuterons, tritons and heavy ions, thereby prompting production of the neutrons through non-elastic collisions between the atoms in the path of the beam (including the target) and the particles. The neutron absorbing nuclides absorb neutrons produced in the non-elastic collisions, thereby producing capture products or fragments that irradiate the target volume.
Claims26
An irradiation method for irradiating a target volume of a subject, the method comprising:
- providing thermal neutron absorbing nuclides in or adjacent to the target volume of the subject, in the absence of a separate proton-absorbing substance provided to the subject;
- and
- producing neutrons by irradiating nuclei with a beam of particles consisting of any one or more of protons, deuterons, tritons or heavy ions, thereby prompting production of the neutrons in the subject through non-elastic collisions within the subject between the nuclei and the particles;
- wherein the neutron absorbing nuclides absorb neutrons produced in the non-elastic collisions, thereby producing capture products or fragments that irradiate the target volume.
A method of inhibiting growth of any one or more of a tumour, satellite lesion or metastatic lesion of a subject, the method comprising:
- dosing the tumour, satellite lesion or metastatic lesion with a composition comprising thermal neutron absorbing nuclides, in the absence of a separate proton-absorbing substance provided to the subject;
- and
- irradiating nuclei in the subject with a beam of particles consisting of any one or more of protons, deuterons, tritons or heavy ions, thereby producing neutrons in the subject through non-elastic collisions within the subject between the nuclei and the particles;
- wherein the neutron absorbing nuclides absorb neutrons produced in the non-elastic collisions, thereby producing capture products or fragments that irradiate the tumour, satellite lesion or metastatic lesion.
A computer-implemented method of determining parameters for particle therapy of a subject, the method comprising:
- modelling or simulating, based on a set of default or selected parameters:
- a) irradiation of nuclei in the subject with a beam of primary particles consisting of any one or more of protons, deuterons, tritons or heavy ions;
- b) production of neutrons in the subject through non-elastic collisions within the subject between the nuclei in or adjacent to the target volume and the primary particles, in the absence of a separate proton-absorbing substance provided to the subject;
- and
- c) production of capture products or fragments released as a result of the neutron capture and nuclear reactions between at least one high neutron cross section agent located in or adjacent to a target volume and the thermal neutrons produced from the non-elastic collisions within the subject between the nuclei and the primary particles;
- determining a difference between the production of the capture products or fragments with either (i) a predetermined template or desired production of the capture products or fragments, or (ii) empirical reaction validation data;
- and
- generating a modified set of parameters according to the difference.
A control system for controlling an irradiation system, wherein:
- the irradiation system provides a particle beam of accelerated particles comprising any one or more of protons, deuterons, tritons or heavy ions;
- and
- the control system includes or is configured to access an irradiation program for implementing a predetermined irradiation of a target volume, the predetermined irradiation comprising:
- irradiating nuclei of a subject with the particle beam, thereby prompting production of neutrons in the subject through non-elastic collisions within the subject between the nuclei and the particles, whereby thermal neutron absorbing nuclides provided before irradiation at or adjacent to the target volume, in the absence of a separate proton-absorbing substance provided to the subject, absorb neutrons produced in the non-elastic collisions, thereby producing capture products or fragments that irradiate the target volume.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.